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jayne OAdrenal fatigue...I had it bad... and guess why? Heavy metal poisoning. Yes, I work with metals in my jewelry class and chemicals too, I got myself royally sick, to those symptoms add a few more, like flashes of blindness, but I got good care, a detox protocol involving cilantro, chlorella, and nacetyl cysteine as well as lots of fish oil and am better than before the poisoning incident, and then I got into BTD and it all feels right...I was a 25 yr veggie , remember? So I'm working on some karmic health stuff, I know you will get healthy too.

''Just follow the book, don't look for magic fixes to get you off the hook. Do the work.'' Dr.D.'98DNA mt/Haplo H; Y-chrom/J2(M172);ESTJThe harder you are on yourself, the easier life will be on you!

I started the diet because I was gaining weight (while exercising approximately 1 hour per day and limiting the amount of food I was consuming), had NO ENERGY, and was depressed most of the time. It was so discouraging to me, that I was exercising in the morning, which gave me energy only until noon. But after lunch was over, I couldn't do a thing. I was so tired, had so little energy that all I could do was sit on the couch. I'd almost always fall asleep. Later, I'd drag myself up, long enough to throw together a fast, unheathy dinner. Then, once dinner was over, I'd sit down and watch TV. Again, I'd fall asleep almost immediately. I felt like my life was out of control. I felt that I would need to exercise even more, eat even less - just to lose any weight at all. I had no energy to do that, though. In my mind, I wondered what the point of living was?!!

Then, I started on the BTD and almost immediately, I started feeling like a new person. I had energy - the whole day long! Even at night, I'd go to bed when it was time, and not really feel tired. It was truly amazing! People around me wanted to know what I was doing! Everyone thought I was drinking a lot of caffeine, which was funny, considering that fact that I'd just cut all caffeine out of my diet. ...Anyway, I soon started losing weight and I'm also no longer depressed.

Pepima - just give it time. If you are like me - and most others, you will notice a big difference in a short period of time. It does take a week or so, however. Just don't give up!

I've been *mostly* good on BTD for going on 3 1/2 weeks, now, and before I started I had serious "brain fog" (thank you, guys, for that term! now I have a name for "it"!!!), was wrist-slittingly depressed and was tired 98% of the time. Never mind the irritable bowel syndrome roller-coaster, etc., etc.Since 2 days into the diet, I have been having more and longer periods of mentally bright, energy-ridden happiness. It started a little here and there, and now I'm fatigued maybe 20-30% of the time - BIG difference in my world, big improvement! Just the pain in my guts took alot out of me, and now I have that improving, I'm having more peace and energy to have a life. I've been too messed-up to hold an outside-the-house job for about a year - I had to quit a 3-hour-a-week job, is that pathetic or what!!!Everything is turning around, and I'm reaping "bennies" I wasn't even looking for, like finer facial skin texture, some weight loss, and much less achy joints. Happy surprises. All these improvements despite catching the flu a week after I started!Can't recommend BTD enough!!! Rock on! (Oooh, sorry, BF has been playing his rock videos!)

OSuzannaA Before Picture , In the Process of Becoming an After Picture FOOD for THOUGHT, Super Beneficial 4 All Blood Types!

I've been *mostly* good on BTD for going on 3 1/2 weeks, now, and before I started I had serious "brain fog" (thank you, guys, for that term!

Yeay, I recognize the brain fog: a constant cloudy feeling in my head that makes it hard to break out of and just participate in the world. Like it keeps on pulling me inside all the time, preventing me from making contact with other people.

Right after I started BTD, I had some days that the cloud wasn't there, but then I had some sort of flue/sinus issues that seems hard to recover from. And the cloud is back again.

But I have some positive news as well: clearer skin (at 37, I still have acne. Is that abnormal or what. I'm not a teenager anymore am I I suppose the acne has to do with wheat.

And another thing: I have been wearing contact lenses for years, never having any trouble with them. Until a year ago: my right eye became irritated. I could keep on using the contacts, but they just weren't as comfortable as they used to be. When I started dieting, the eye problems almost immediately diminshed!

(I don't know how to make two quotes in one message. Is that possible? So I do it this way): Thanks Meg, for your response. This is indeed a great success story. Amazing that in a few days, you have gotten so much better. Keep it up. So you didn't have any withdrawal or detox effects whatsoever? I'ld like to hear about that!

When I want to quote more than one messages in my post, I open the new message part in a new window(if necessary), copy and paste the quotation text there and phrame it with paranthesis such as : [command=xxx] blah blah blah [/command] where command is the word quote, xxx is the owner of the quoted text post and blah bah is the text. I mean, what you write between those paranthesis becomes the quotation from xxx. I couldn't write down quote instead of command there, because it surely turns to a quotation when I do so!

For exhaustion, yes I felt very exhausted before BTD. I was overweight and exhausted, this is why started BTD. I felt very energic while on BTD. I gave up following the diet for 3-4 months and all that exhaustion came back! I would desire to sleep all the time, and I had pains in my muscles and joints most of the time. Now I gave a fresh start, this time being aware of the energy I'll gain and I'm looking forward to starting to lose weight again.

Sometimes you need to lose the thing so that you can realize how valuable it was, then you try to gain it back. So life is an ongoing war among what you lose and what you want to regain Let it be a gentle war that will not hurt, but will give you desire to survive, hugh?

I had withdrawal symptoms or detox for about a week? The first thing I noticed was a NASTY headache that just wouldn't go away. I believe that was from the coffee/caffeine. It lasted for about two days? Next, a different type of headache came on, which lasted for about a week. It was not as nasty, but it was there all the time. The "hurt" was totally different from the first headache that I had. This second one, I believe, was from the lack of wheat, etc., in my diet. During this time period, I also was extremely grumpy and very, very tired. I kept hoping that the headaches would go away, and I'd feel better. I was sooo tempted to just quit the whole thing and go back to coffee, wheat, etc. Once the headaches were gone, however, the tiredness left, and I no longer felt grumpy or any of the other bad things. Instead, I felt GREAT!

The detox/withdrawal symptoms are a bum deal, but the pain was worth it - to get to that feeling of health and energy again!

I had withdrawal symptoms or detox for about a week? The first thing I noticed was a NASTY headache that just wouldn't go away. I believe that was from the coffee/caffeine. It lasted for about two days? Next, a different type of headache came on, which lasted for about a week. It was not as nasty, but it was there all the time. The "hurt" was totally different from the first headache that I had. This second one, I believe, was from the lack of wheat, etc., in my diet. During this time period, I also was extremely grumpy and very, very tired.

Hi Meg,Interesting to hear. The coffee withdrawal symptoms are a real killer aren't they? I have quit coffee several times in the last years, and always started drinking it again after a while. Every single time I stopped, I had severe pounding headaches, as if someone was banging on my head with a rock.

And I also had severe muscle aching for three days, in both legs from the hip down. As if I had a very very serious flu. I think this was the lack of sugar and dairy maybe. Never had that before.When I then stopped eating wheat and two weeks later all gluten, I developed a nasty sinus problem that has lasted for the last weeks.Since this morning, I am feeling better at last. Maybe I will be able to post my own success story soon?!?

For exhaustion, yes I felt very exhausted before BTD. I was overweight and exhausted, this is why started BTD. I felt very energic while on BTD. I gave up following the diet for 3-4 months and all that exhaustion came back! I would desire to sleep all the time, and I had pains in my muscles and joints most of the time. Now I gave a fresh start, this time being aware of the energy I'll gain and I'm looking forward to starting to lose weight again.

Hi Betul,

Sometimes you need to feel the contrast to value something and be motivated again, don't you? But it is amazing to hear what a difference the diet makes!

And thanks for the info on the quotes. Will try this next time.........

Pepima - Re: the acne, in MY case, I finally realized dairy was causing some with me. I didn't figure it out til my forties , because the pimples would show up 3-4 days after I'd eat ice cream or lots of cheese. It was the time lapse that tripped me up. Similar thing happened with discovering I had PMS. *PMS? Who, me?! Never! I don't get THAT! * That discovery was one day in my thirties, sitting at my desk at work, minding my own business, when ANGRY MOOD just dropped out of the sky on me out of nowhere. The abruptness - where the @#! did THIS come from????? and a peek at my calendar told me the answer. The whole point to this rambling was the time-lapse cause for mystery zits. Keep up the good work, dear, that cloud will stay lifted longer and longer. I, too, have had some nagging sinus stuff, but I'm slowly finding that cause, too. Just read the margarine box, and it was nothing but bad avoids. And I used to buy it cause it wasn't corn oil. Sigh.

OSuzannaA Before Picture , In the Process of Becoming an After Picture FOOD for THOUGHT, Super Beneficial 4 All Blood Types!

10 years ago I worked with an allergist to get over Candida. (I had recently had a hysterectomy & sinus surgury to get over problems that I'm sure were yeast related but neither of those doctors ever asked me what my diet was like!) The allergist put me on an elimination diet to test for food allergies (nothing major), started me on nystatin & convinced me to get off junk food & become a vegetarian. Wanting to do everything possible to become well I ate vegan for the next 2 years despite the fact that I was hungry the entire time, had very little energy, almost constant bloating, lost so much weight my friends all thought I was dying & even started losing my hair. I kept asking him why I felt that way if I was eating the supposedly healthiest diet in the world. His only response was to be patient - "it takes time".

Fortunately for me my local health food store had monthly seminars that I took advantage of. At one of them I got chatting with a guy sitting next to me & he mentioned how much better he was since he'd discovered the blood type diet b/c he had been eating vegetarian & as an O he should be having animal protein daily. I think my jaw probably dropped! Needless to say, I grilled him & bought ER4YT immediately. FINALLY! A doctor who could explain my symptoms - I had been eating things like potato-corn chowder, grains with every meal & tons of popcorn b/c I was so hungry & needed something to munch on all the time. I began the diet that day & my improvement was dramatic. I could eat a big meal with NO bloating, I gradually gained to a healthy weight & had lots more energy.

Shortly after making this discovery my husband & I moved to Florida & for the next 3 years had probably the best health of my life. I ran every day & swam frequently. I ate almost 95% compliant except when traveling. My stomach was always flat. I had a ton of energy, no more post nasal drip AND I woke up most mornings without an alarm & fully refreshed.

Since then we've moved again. A happy move - closer to our 2 children who settled close to each other & in time for the arrival of 3 beautiful grandchildren! But I've gotten less & less compliant & my health & energy levels have gradually lowered to the point that I'm now fighting Candida again. It's great to be close to family but there are more social situations here where I find it difficult to be compliant. But I'm now working on being better at that & feel I'm back on the right tract, eating right & taking advantage of this web site for encouragement & information. I know it won't be long before I'll be feeling better & I hope you find the same good results.

O-Suzel-Annchen loved your statement about angers...it was so familiar to me too

and please folks remind...the mostly effective thingie are hormons and enzymes...here we go for the toughest of all= detox =repair of DNA....=more ATP =means more energy....and the keyword here is:

ENADA NADH

10mg's in the morning onto your empty stomach (sometimes some 10 more at 14o'clock) and here count about 6 to 12 months...it took me 1,5 years....to get my lost energies back....yeeeehaaaa and please become more and more aware *how* do you think, where are you going against yourselfwhat is the real matter beyond all such behaviour just psychepatters...so work on your *self* and never give up....and dont treach in BTD...its' only up to you to take the bill and nobody cares in reality ....

I ate almost 95% compliant except when traveling. My stomach was always flat. I had a ton of energy, no more post nasal drip AND I woke up most mornings without an alarm & fully refreshed.

Thanks Sara, for this message. I hope you get back soon to feeling again as you described above.

I understand by now that being fully compliant is a must, if I want to have the benefits from this diet. You describe my symptoms exactly: fatigue, bloating/swollen stomach, post nasal drip and waking up tired every day. I have been trying to become a vegetarian for a long time, but never fully succeeded (lucky for me). But I ate only little meat during that period.

Yesterday I made the decision to go for a 100% compliant diet. The last weeks it took me some time getting the hang of this diet and although I have eliminated most wheat, corn, potatoes and dairy, every day I still ate some avoids.The day before yesterday we went out to diner at a Thai restaurant. I felt terrible again the morning after: spacey/sweating/tired/unfocused. On top of that, I ate some milk chocolate that of course made me feel even worse and then decided it was enough. It seems I needed to be noncompliant sometimes to be able to feel the difference.

I now intend to be absolutely compliant until April 1, and see what happens. If I keep on eating some avoids now and again, I can't say whether the diet is working or not, can I?

If I keep on eating some avoids now and again, I can't say whether the diet is working or not, can I?

What a profound statement!!If everyone went into the BTD with this attitude, we would see thousands more healthy people in the world. Sincerely giving a new lifestyle your best shot is the only real way to test its worth.So many times, people read one of the books, or see the food lists, and try some of the beneficials, and try to eliminate some of the avoids, all the while being very careless as to their compliancy. If and when their health doesn't improve, they declare that the "diet" doesn't work. I think it is the individual who doesn't work it.

Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are.Let me not pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow.~Mary Jean Irion

I had (have) a thyroid that was not working. I could sleep over 14 hours per day and still not be able to have a normal life. But of course my thyroid was not the only reason I was tired. It was also the bad food that I ate. Increasing my thyroid meds helped but BTD helped even more. I am now able to work long days, (12 hours or more) go to bed, sleep well and after 6 hours get up and start a day fresh again. Even before I got sick, 6 hours per day would not be enough for me, but now I can do a week on 6 hours per night and not have any ill effects. I really like to sleep 8 hours as recommended by the Dr. but sometimes I just don't have the time. After all there are only 24 hours in a day and there is much to do.

I notice that when I am not compliant I can't keep up the pace as when I am compliant. That alone for me is a good reason to stay on BTD for the rest of my life.

Yesterday I made the decision to go for a 100% compliant diet.I now intend to be absolutely compliant until April 1, and see what happens. If I keep on eating some avoids now and again, I can't say whether the diet is working or not, can I?

You'll hear from me at April 1 how I feel then!

Pepima, have you thought about getting your secretor status tested? That just might be the extra thing you need, to keep you on the right path.

Yeah, it's a good quote isn't? In the Netherlands, you can get a free e-mail subscription on 'Inspiration Mail'. You then get an e-mail every three or four days with an inspirational, spiritual quote. This one I received a few weeks ago; I think it is the best quote I've read in a long time!

I have been thinking about getting tested, but have the strong suspicion that I'm a secretor. Not sure, though. I could contact Cocky in the Netherlands to ask her what to do (I live in the Netherlands). I don't know if I can order the test from the US and send it back again to the US for the results? Maybe it could also be done here in the Netherlands.